Top 5 Most Popular Linux Distributions of 2017

Linux isn’t a full-fledged operating system — it’s just a kernel. Linux distributions take the Linux kernel and combine it with other open source software and GUI to create the complete package. There are many different Open Source Linux distros are available.

If you want to “install Linux,” you’ll need to choose a distribution. In this blog post, we will be covering the top 5 Linux distributions of early 2017.

Top 5 Linux Distributions 2017

Ubuntu: Ubuntu OS is the Most popular Linux Distro out there and has followed by the Proprietary Operating systems like Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s Mac OS. Most of us all know that Ubuntu is based on Debian. It offers its own collection software repositories. One can easily install any Linux Software Applications the Ubuntu Software centre or apt-get package manager.

Solus: Solus is a very new Linux distro, built with “UX” and “Simplicity” in mind. The look of the OS is an entirely different and modern one. Solus comes with the “Budgie” Desktop environment with its focus on aesthetics. The cons of its newness are that it does not have the community base like the other well-established Linux distros in this list. Nonetheless, Solus is new and different, and since it is getting quite the attention, it can only get better.Its desktop UI is called Budgie, which is primarily responsible for Solus’ clear focus on aesthetics and “elegance”, as its developer puts it than most other Linux interfaces.The issue with Solus is that it has much less of an active community at the moment than the more renowned names. This fact could be offputting for those who don’t already know Linux inside and out.As a youngling, Solus is also remarkably less stable than something like Ubuntu – at least for the foreseeable future. It’s worth trying out Solus nonetheless, though, especially considering how distinct it is from the rest of the pack.

Mint Cinnamon: If you want a non-Microsoft free Windows 10, then this one is for you! Linux Mint Cinnamon has a much more familiar interface than Ubuntu. It even has a Start menu of sorts, making it dead easy to transition from Windows.
Linux Mint is going to have things like browser plug-ins media codecs and support for DVD playback without having to do new installs. Which is a significant advantage to many people because not everybody wants to mess around with Linux for days and days on end some people just want to install the operating system and expect it to work.There are no significant sacrifices either. Mint Cinnamon uses very similar repositories to Ubuntu, being based on it and everything.Cinnamon has a relatively attractive interface, so if you’re planning on running Linux on an old machine that can no longer keep up with the latest Windows instalment, you are best off trying Cinnamon’s brother. It’s called Mate, and it has a more spartan UI that’s a bit less demanding.

Elementary OS: Not all Linux distros are about being different; Elementary OS, in particular, is more about thinking different. As one of the best-looking distributions around, Elementary OS bears a resemblance to Apple’s MacOS. In fact, its developer calls Elementary OS a “fast and open replacement for Windows and OS X.Unlike Windows, in particular, elementary OS isn’t funded by ad revenue nor does the developer have access to any personal information – or so it claims. Instead, it’s financed by an optional donation of five, ten or even 25 dollars per download (although you can opt to donate a custom amount if you’re so inclined, even the nominal contribution of $0 is rendered acceptable).One of the cool things about the elementary package is that they have several custom-designed applications that you don’t find in other Linux distributions which have a UI design that is very similar to what you would expect out of Mac Apple.

Elementary OS even comes with a handful of pre-installed apps such as Photos, Music, Videos and a custom web browser called Midori that’s supposed to be easier on the battery than, say, the infamous Google Chrome power drainer. Whether it’s more conservative than Microsoft Edge, though, remains to be seen.

OpenSUSE: OpenSUSE is the general-purpose OS for ordinary people, though it excels in the Enterprise/Business environment. This OpenSUSE project is supported by Open-Source community and sponsored by SUSE and other companies. OpenSUSE supports thousands of free Linux Applications. It offers many Desktop environments such as GNOME, KDE, LXDE GUI’s. Also, SUSE includes an installation program called YaST which handles hard disk partitioning, system setup, RPM package management. Although the Package installer is not easy like Ubuntu.

So that’s it for the top 5 most popular Linux distributions of early 2017. If you think we missed any modern distro which we should have included in this list then, please comment below in the comment section. If you liked the article, then please do share this post with your friends.